Love Will Thaw
by Thepopcornpup
Summary: (Modern AU) "Why do you even care about me!" Elsa demands. "I'm not even related to you!" "That doesn't matter!" I respond. "We're still sisters."
1. Prolouge

**Author's Note: Hi! This is my first modern AU story, so I hope you like it! This is told from Anna's POV.**

* * *

_BRRRRING!_

The moment that the bell rings, I dash out of the classroom and practically jump onto the bus.

"Geez, Anna!" Kristoff exclaims as he walks toward me. "How much sugar was in your lunch today?"

"None!" I answer. "I'm just excited! Really excited!"

"I couldn't tell," Kristoff rolls his eyes.

"I can't help it!" I gush. "This is probably the best day of my life!"

"Congratulations Anna," Kristoff says, grinning. "I think it's great that your parents are adopting. I know how it feels when someone accepts you into their family."

"Well, your parents gave my parents the idea." I tell him.

Kristoff was adopted into my neighbors' giant family a few years ago. After seeing how it changed Kristoff's life, my parents eventually decided to adopt my soon-to-be sister, Elsa.

"Ugh!" I moan, leaning on Kristoff's shoulder. "How long is this bus ride?!"

"As long as it always is," He answers.

"That question was rhetorical." I respond.

"No kidding," Kristoff sighs.

After about an eternity, my bus finally arrives at my street. Kristoff and I run off of the bus.

"Hey, Anna!" He calls before walking into his house.

"Yeah?"

"You're gonna be an awesome sister." He assures, smiling.

"Thank you!" I reply as he walks in.

I take a deep breath as I walk up to the door. As soon as I go inside, everything will change. I won't be an only child anymore. I won't have that big empty room to myself anymore. I won't say "No" when someone asks if I have any brothers or sisters anymore.

For the first time in forever, I won't be alone.


	2. Meeting Elsa

**Author's Note: By the way, Anna is 11 and Elsa is 13. I know they're 3 years apart in the movie (18,21) but I thought this would work better.**

* * *

I sit in an uncomfortable wooden chair, tapping my foot anxiously. My parents sit next to me, filling out the adoption sheets.

After a whole lot of paperwork and impatience, the moment I've been waiting for finally arrives.

The orphanage director leads a girl who is a few years older than me downstairs. Her pale blonde hair is tied up into a bun and her icy blue eyes stare at us, wide-eyed.

"Elsa, these are the Andersens," the orphanage director smiles. "They're your new family!"

Elsa gives a shy smile.

"Elsa, we are so happy to have you as a part of our family!" Mama hugs Elsa. Elsa's eyes grow wider. She stiffly returns the hug.

When Mama lets go, I grin, "I'm Anna! I'm really, insanely excited! Well, not insane, I'm not insane; I'm mentally stable."

I feel my cheeks heat up. "I'm mentally stable" is my first impression?!

To my great relief, Elsa lets out a small laugh. "It's nice to meet you." She mumbles.

After Elsa says goodbye to the orphanage director and all of the other girls at the orphanage, and we get all of Elsa's things loaded into the trunk of our car, we start on our way home.

"I hope that you don't mind," Papa says. "But, you'll be sharing a room with Anna."

It takes Elsa a few moments to respond. I start to get nervous that she doesn't want to, but she eventually squeaks, "I don't mind."

"Are you sure?" Mama asks. "Because we have a guest room that we can easily make into your room."

_Please say you're sure,_ I silently beg.

Elsa looks at me and then back at Mama. "I'm sure."

* * *

"Ta-da!" I open my arms wide as I show Elsa my-our-room, finishing off my personal tour of the house. "It's usually messier. At least my side of the room."

Elsa giggles and sets her suitcase down on her bed.

"Well?" I ask, wringing my hands. "Do you like it?"

"Like it?" She echoes. "I love it. You have a really nice home, Anna."

"It's your home, too." I point out.

Elsa grins and sits on the bed. Her eyes move over to the bookshelf.

"They're your books now, too." I tell her. "You can get one to read, if you want."

"Thanks." She walks over to the shelf. "What's your favorite?"

"The collection of Hans Christian Andersen fairy tales." I answer, almost immediately. "Especially 'The Snow Queen'. Mama used to read them to me when I was little."

Elsa smiles and takes it off of the shelf. "I've never read that one."

I gasp. "Really?!"

"I mainly read Grimm fairy tales as a kid." Elsa says, looking at her shoes.

"Well, we've got to read it now!" I dive onto her bed happily. "It's my favorite!"

Elsa hands me the book. "Go ahead."

I laugh and start. "Once upon a time, there was a mirror…"

* * *

I wake up with a start. I hear a small noise, but I can't tell what it is. I hold my breath, trying to hear it. Is it…crying?

I grab a flashlight from my nightstand and point it toward Elsa's bed. Sure enough, she's curled up into a ball on her bed, softly crying.

"Elsa?" I whisper. "Are you okay?"

Elsa lets out a little scream.

"Elsa?" I tiptoe over to her bed. "It's just me!"

"Oh," Elsa sighs shakily. "Anna. I-I'm fine."

"Why were you crying?"

"…I had a bad dream."

She hesitated, but I don't point it out.

"Do you want me to keep the light on?" I offer.

Elsa looks embarrassed. "No, that's okay. Don't worry about me. You can go back to sleep. Sorry I woke you up."

"Don't worry about that," I respond. "I usually sleep in anyway."

I walk back over to my bed. "Good night, Elsa."

"Good night, Anna." She whispers back.


	3. Technical Difficulties

_Things I know about Elsa:_

_\- She doesn't talk much._

_\- She likes to read._

_\- She's never read any Hans Christian Andersen fairy tales. (Until last night.)_

_\- She doesn't like to tell people why she's crying. (I do; they usually make me feel better.)_

* * *

**Author's Note: Oh. My. Gosh! I got about a jazillion follows and favorites! (Maybe I'm exageratting. Just a little bit. ) Thank you! And the reviews were awesome! Probably some of the nicest reviews ever!**

**By the way, I have no idea how this chapter got so long. It just did.**

* * *

I do end up sleeping in. At 10:30 am, I wake up to the sun blinding me through the curtains.

"Mngh…" I groan tiredly. "Why do I have sleep by the window? Ugh…"

I continue making unpleasant groaning noises as I push myself up to a sitting position. I rub my eyes, but stop short when I hear a noise coming from downstairs. It sounds like music. The piano to be exact. Is Mama playing?

Curiously, I walk downstairs, following the sound of the song. There's singing now, too.

_"…Let it go, let it go, can't hold it back anymore!"_

It's a pretty voice, but one I haven't heard before. It couldn't be Mama.

_"Let it go, let it go, turn away and slam the door!"_

I stop outside of the living room. I peek in the doorway to see Elsa, playing the piano and singing a song I've never heard before.

_"I don't care what they're going to say! Let the storm rage on…"_

She seems really into the music. Her fingers glide across the piano as she belts out the words to the song with all the emotion of a professional singer. I decide not to interrupt.

_"The cold never bothered me anyway!"_

She keeps playing the piano beautifully. I let out a small gasp at how good she is.

"Ah!" Elsa screams and falls off of the piano bench.

"Oh my gosh!" I cry, rushing over to her. "Are you okay?"

Elsa catches her breath and looks up at me. "H-How much did you see?" She asks, blushing furiously.

"Um, since _'Let it go?'_" I answer.

Elsa's blush turns an even deeper red. "I-I'm sorry, I thought that you were sleeping." She mutters. "Mr. and Mrs. Andersen went out to get some flour for the pancakes, and I, um, thought that I was alone. Sorry you had to see that."

"Had to? Elsa, that was amazing!" I exclaim. "I'm sorry that I interrupted! Did you write that yourself?!"

Elsa looks down, her cheeks as red as beets. "It's just a thing I wrote while I was at the orphanage. Well, I made up the tune before that, but not the words. It's pretty stupid, I know."

"It's not stupid!" I respond. "Elsa, you're, like, a piano prodigy or something!"

"I'm no prodigy," She says, looking down. "I used to take lessons, that's all."

"They were good lessons!" I tell her.

"Thanks," Elsa mumbles. Then, she gets up from the piano bench. "I'll just go and,um, get dressed now."

With that, she scurries out of the room and up the stairs.

"Anna! Elsa!" Mama's voice calls as the front door opens. "We're home!"

I run up to the door. "Hi Mama! Hi Papa!"

"Hey Sunshine!" Papa grins. "Where's Elsa?"

"Getting dressed," I answer.

"Anna, how do you manage to turn your hair into such a bird's nest while you're sleeping?" Mama asks, shaking her head. "Why don't you comb your hair? Then, you and Elsa can come downstairs and we can tell you what we're going to do today."

I nod and go upstairs.

I knock on the door. "Elsa? Can I come in?"

"Sure." Elsa answers.

I walk in to see Elsa sitting on her bed, pulling her hair into a bun. She's wearing the same blue sweater she wore yesterday, and she's got on the same white jeans.

Before I can think, I ask, "Are those the only clothes you have?" Then, my hands fly over my mouth and I exclaim, "Oh my gosh! That came out so rude! I didn't mean it that way! I meant it like, you know, you can borrow some of my clothes. Though, we're probably not the same size. Not that you're big! I didn't mean it like that! You're not big at all, but I'm eleven, and you're thirteen, and you're taller than me and-"

Elsa stops me, looking startled. "Anna! It's fine!" She assures. "I know you didn't mean it rudely. I just don't have very many clothes. I just have the things people donated to the orphanage. I don't really need anything more."

I sigh in relief and sit down next to her. "Well, Mama and Papa are home."

Elsa nods and looks away.

We sit there for a moment. I want to ask her so many things, but they just won't come out. I just awkwardly comb my hair next to her, trying to think of a conversation starter.

Elsa starts opens the Hans Christian Andersen book. I lean over her shoulder to see that she's reading The Little Mermaid.

"That's a good one," I pipe up. "Of course, all of them are good ones."

Elsa smiles at me and continues reading.

I've about mustered up the courage to ask one of my many questions when Mama calls, "Breakfast's ready!"

Forgetting my question, I zoom downstairs, following the alluring smell of Mama's family-renowned chocolate chip pancakes.

By the time Elsa sits down, I'm already halfway through my first pancake. Her eyes light up at the sight of our breakfast. "It's been forever since I've had chocolate!" She grins.

Mama and Papa sit down. "So, girls, as a celebration of Elsa's adoption, we've decided to have a little family outing today." Papa explains.

"Den wheb ib Eba'b wecome parry goib boo be?" I ask, mouth stuffed with pancakes. (Translation: Then when is Elsa's welcome party going to be?)

"That's not until next weekend." Mama answers.

"You don't have to throw a party for me." Elsa says.

"Oh, honey, we want to!" Mama smiles.

Elsa gives a slight smile in return, looking down at her plate.

Swallowing my giant mouthful, I ask eagerly, "What are we going to do today?"

"Well, that's up to Elsa!" Papa responds. "What do you want to do?"

"Um…I don't really know," Elsa stammers. "You guys can choose."

"But since this is our first family outing with you, we wanted to let you choose." Mama says. "We can do whatever you want. It's up to you."

Elsa looks around. "Erm…do you have any suggestions?"

"Oh! Oh!" I gulp down more pancakes and stand up. "The city fair is in town! We can go there!"

Mama, Papa, and Elsa stare at me blankly.

Slowly, I sit down. "I mean, um, if that's what you want to do."

"That sounds good to me." Elsa responds.

"Are you sure? Because we can do anything." Mama says.

Elsa nods.

"Okay, then!" Papa claps his hand. "Well, I'll print out directions, Anna can get dressed, and we'll get going."

I look down to see that I'm still wearing my nightgown. Quickly, I finish the rest of my pancakes and run up to Elsa and my room. I grab a pink t-shirt and jeans. I pull my favorite green jacket on over it.

"Anna! Come on! We're ready!" Papa calls.

I jump downstairs and leap into the car next to Elsa.

"Now, I want you girls to stay together, always." Mama tells us. "You don't have to stay with Papa and I the whole time, since it's a small fair, but, call us every hour."

"Yes, ma'am!" I duitifully salute, which makes Elsa giggle.

We turn into the parking lot and I beam with excitement.

Once we get our tickets, I practically drag Elsa to the Ferris Wheel.

"You aren't afraid of heights, are you?" I ask.

Elsa shakes her head.

Eagerly, I run up the ramp and we climb into a red ferris wheel car. (I forget the technical names for those things.)

"So, have you ever been on a ferris wheel before?" I ask as it turns upward.

"Once." Elsa replies simply.

"When was it?"

"Um… I was about five," Elsa answers, looking away. "My parents took me to Disneyland."

I mentally slap myself. She looks miserable at the mention of her parents.

"I'm sorry," I tell her. "I didn't mean to bring that up."

"It's not your fault," Elsa says, still not looking at me.

We sit there in silence as the ferris wheel creaks to a stop. We're right at the top.

A microphone crackles and a muffled voice says, "Attention Fairgoers, we're experiencing some technical difficulties with the ferris wheel. It probably won't take long to fix. Repeat, we're experiencing some technical difficulties with the ferris wheel. Thank you for your patience."

"Um, maybe they mean some other ferris wheel." I fake-grin.

Elsa looks around. "There isn't another one."

"I know!" I groan. "Ugh, don't worry. I'll tell Mama and Papa what's going on."

I reach into my pockets to pull out my phone. But, there's nothing there.

"Great!" I sigh. "Well, Mama and Papa probably heard the announcement; they'll know that we're fine. Right?"

"Right." Elsa responds, her voice cracking.

I turn to her to see that her hands are visibly shaking.

"Elsa? Are you alright?" I question.

Elsa swallows and nods. "Of course I am."

"You don't look alright," I counter.

"Anna," She says sharply. "I'm fine."

"Okay," I continue to look at her unsurely. Her face is paler than usual and she looks sick.

Elsa notices that I'm staring at her, so she looks away again.

The wind picks up, and the ferris wheel car starts swinging back and forth, making a horrible scraping sound.

"Oh, gosh." Elsa croaks, putting her head in her hands.

"It's okay," I assure, reaching out to her.

"How do you know?!" She blurts out, making me jump. "You never know if anything is going to be okay! This 'completely safe' car could fly off of it's hinges right now!"

I gape at her as she starts crying. "Elsa…"

"I'm so sorry," She sputters through tears. "That was completely inappropriate."

I climb over to her seat and hug her.

"You're not supposed to get up until the ride is over," She sniffs.

"Well, I can't hug you from over there."I say.

"Thank you." Elsa mumbles, smiling.

We hug for a little while as Elsa calms down.

I eventually pull back. "I have an idea to get our minds off of this. We'll play two truths and a lie."

"What's that?" Elsa asks, rubbing her bloodshot eyes.

"It's a game where one person tells two true things about themself, and one lie." I explain. "I'll go first. Okay; 1. I love chocolate. 2. I can do a backflip. 3. I was the lead in my fifth grade play."

Elsa grins. "Hmmm…number 2?"

I nod. "I've been trying for years, but I always end up falling on my face. But, I'm not sure if you could count number 3 too successful, either. We did the Wizard of Oz, and I tripped over my feet when we 'were off to see the wizard.'"

Elsa laughs slightly. "I can't do a backflip, either, and I'd never have the courage to even audition for a school play.

"Alright, let me think of mine…" Elsa taps her chin. "I think I've got it. 1. I don't like math. 2. I can't snap. 3. I love homemade ice cream bars."

"Number 2?" I guess.

Elsa shakes her head. "Number 1."

"Wait, what? You _like_ math?!" I exclaim.

Elsa blushes. "Mainly geometry."

"Wow…" I shake my head.

"I'm a freak, right?" She asks.

"No, you're smart." I answer.

Elsa sighs. "They said that the technical difficulties wouldn't take long."

"Don't panic," I say. "I'm sure that they'll-"

At that moment, the ferris wheel creaks to life and we continue moving.

"Haha! Yes!" I shout happily.

"We're moving!" Elsa laughs in relief.

"High five!" I cry, and we do so.

The man working the ferris wheel offers to let us off when we get to the bottom, and we gladly accept.

When we run off, Mama and Papa greet us. "Oh, girls! We were so worried! Are you okay?" Mama questions, hugging us.

"We're fine," I assure. "I got a bit scared, but Elsa comforted me the whole time."

I wink at Elsa and she smiles.

* * *

**Up next: Elsa's first day of school!**


	4. My Sister…If I Can Call Her That Yet

_Things I've learned about Elsa:_

_-She's a really good singer/songwriter/pianist_

_-She actually is afraid of heights_

_-She's been to Disneyland_

_-She likes math_

_-She can't snap_

_-She likes homemade ice cream bars (who doesn't?)_

_-She can't do a backflip either (That makes me feel better.)_

* * *

**Author's Note: These reviews are awesome! :-) **

**By the way, Anna and Kristoff are in sixth grade, Hans is in seventh grade, and Elsa is in eigth grade.**

**I don't really have anything else to say except hat this is another long chapter. I hope you like it! **

* * *

I sit on my bed, doodling.

"Anna?"

I look up to see Elsa standing in the doorway. "Could I, erm, talk to you?"

"Of course!" I reply, a bit too excitedly. Elsa still doesn't talk much, even after our ferris wheel incident, so I jump at the opportunity to talk to her.

I move my papers and she sits down. "What's up?" I ask.

"Well, it's, um, it's about school." Elsa sighs. "What is it like?"

"Oh, well, it's like any school, really." I answer lamely.

"…That's-That's kind of the thing…" Elsa looks at her feet, blushing again. "I haven't really been to a proper school since I entered the orphanage, when I was eight, and,um, I've never been to a middle school…"

"Oh…" I look at her sympatheticly. "Were you tutored at the orphanage?"

Elsa nods, still blushing.

"Hey," I say softly, putting my hand on her shoulder. "It's nothing to be embarrassed about."

Elsa looks up. "Are the kids there…nice?"

"Most of them are." I answer.

Elsa looks down again.

"You know, one of my friends is adopted, too." I tell her.

Elsa perks up. "Really?"

I nod. "His name's Kristoff. He lives right next door. He was adopted a few years ago."

Elsa smiles. Not just her shy smile, though; a real smile. But, then it falters when she asks, "Do the kids at your school…are they…" She looks away and mutters, "I sound so immature." She looks at me again and finishes, "Are they mean to him?"

I shake my head.

Elsa sighs, putting her head in her hands.

"Are you ready to go to school, yet?" I ask. "Mama said that you don't have to go right away."

"I don't really know," Elsa says. "But, I know I'll have to go eventually, and I guess I just want to get it over with."

"You can do it, Elsa." I assure her, looking her in the eyes.

"Can I?" She questions shakily.

"Sure you can," I smile. "I know you can."

* * *

_Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep._

"Mngh!" I groan, rolling over and pressing the snooze button.

_BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP._

"MNGH!" I grab my alarm and switch it off. Mama had to get me the alarm that beeps louder when you hit snooze.

I drag myself out of bed to see Elsa still sleeping. I walk over to her bed and crouch next to her. "Psst. Elsa. Psst. Elsa."

"Hmm?" She mumbles.

"Wake up." I whisper.

"Anna…" She murmurs, half asleep. "Go back to sleep…"

"We can't," I answer, shaking her. "The sky's awake, so it's time for school."

Elsa grins, opening her eyes slightly. "The sky's awake?" She asks groggily. "What's that mean?"

"It's my way of saying the sun is rising," I reply.

Elsa laughs a little. "I like it."

"Thanks," I reply. "Are you ready?"

Elsa sighs. "As ready as I'll ever be."

I pat her arm. "I'll be right there for you. I promise."

* * *

"Come on, girls! Hurry or we'll miss the bus!" Mama calls, ushering us out of the door.

We walk-run to the bus stop. Mama kneels down, putting her hands on Elsa's shoulders. "Have you got everything?" She asks softly. "Folders? Binders? Pencils?"

Elsa nods.

"You and Anna will go to the office and get your schedule and locker, okay?" Mama tells her.

"Okay." Elsa says.

"Oh!" Mama pulls Elsa into a hug.

Just as they pull back, the bus arrives. The doors swing open and the bus driver watches us expectantly.

"Goodbye!" Mama calls.

Elsa lifts her foot to the step hesitantly. She takes a deep breath.

"Come on," the driver sighs.

"Hey!" I shout. "Don't-"

"Anna," Elsa interrupts. "It's okay."

With that, Elsa climbs up onto the bus, with me trailing behind her. We sit down in the front.

Elsa starts picking at her sweater nervously.

"So, Elsa," I say. "Do you have any more questions for me?"

"Are there any more kids on this bus?" Elsa asks, still picking away at her sweater.

"Of course," I answer. "We're just the first stop."

As if on cue, the bus makes another stop, causing a stampede of kids to thunder onto the bus, yelling things like, "The bus was so late!" And "Hey, you!" And "I hate Mondays!"

Elsa looks shocked. She mutters something that I can't hear over the noise.

"What?" I ask, plugging one ear.

"Nothing!" She says loudly, trying to be heard. "I was just talking to myself."

Elsa goes back to picking at her sweater, making a blue string grow looser and looser, growing off of her sweater like a vine.

"Hey Andersen!" The person behind us calls.

I turn around. "Hey me?"

"Yeah," He says. It's a boy from my math class, whose name I can't remember,leaning over the top of the bus seat. "Who's the blonde?"

Elsa's cheeks glow pink.

"This is Elsa," I smile. "My…"

I trail off, looking from Elsa and him.

I finish, "My sister."

I glance at Elsa anxiously, hoping that she's comfortable with me saying that. Her face wears a look of complete shock. I'm not sure if that's good or bad.

"I didn't know you had a sister," He comments, interrupting the moment.

"We just adopted her," I tell him distractedly, still watching Elsa. Her face hasn't changed.

"Cool," He says. He turns to Elsa. "Are you from another country or something?"

Elsa doesn't reply. She just keeps that numb look of shock on her face. She's even stopped playing with her sweater.

"Um, hellooo?" He asks, waving his hand in front of her face. "Earth to Ella?"

"Elsa," She suddenly corrects him, snapping out of her trance. "I-It's Elsa, not Ella."

"Okay," He nods slowly. "Well, are you-"

"No, I'm not from another country," Elsa interrupts. "I'm from the orphanage downtown."

"Alright," He still looks slightly creeped out from Elsa's moment.

Elsa returns to picking at her sweater, looking away from the boy from math. He sits back down in his seat.

I sit there awkwardly, staring at her. I knew that I shouldn't have said that. I know she's not ready to call us family. She still calls Mama and Papa "Mr. and Mrs. Andersen." What made me think she'd be ready for me to say that we're sisters?

"Um, listen, Elsa," I start to apologize while scratching my neck. "I-"

The bus stops in front of our school, interrupting me. I sigh and stand up, trying to find an opening in the row of kids stampeding off of the bus. Of course, no one lets us through. Elsa and I are the last ones off.

As we walk to the office, I continue, "I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable by saying that we're sisters. I just…I don't know. I guess it just feels…right."

Elsa looks at her sneakers and mumbles a reply. "You're fine, Anna. I was the one who reacted so rudely." She silent for a moment. "It's just hard for me to accept and realize that I actually have a…_family."_ The last word comes out quieter than a mouse.

I put my arm around her, but her shoulders tense up. I draw back. "I-I'm sorry; I was just trying to comfort you."

"I-It's okay," She replies hoarsely. "I, um, have to use the restroom."

Elsa runs into the nearest restroom, leaving me alone in the hallway.

_You pushed it too far, Anna_, I tell myself. _Between hugging her and calling her your sister…but, she is my sister. **My sister.**_

Elsa comes out, cheeks red. "Sorry. Let's get my schedule." She says, brushing past me and avoiding eye contact.

I want to apologize again, but I decide that it's best not to bring it up again. "Alright."

We head into the office. I walk up to the desk.

"What do you need?" The woman at the desk asks.

"Do you have a schedule for Elsa Andersen?" I respond with a question.

Elsa starts to look uneasy again.

The woman clacks on her keyboard a little bit and says, "Ah, here it is. Just let me print it…"

Within a minute, Elsa is handed her new schedule.

"Thank you," She smiles shyly.

I lead her out to the hall. "What's your locker number?"

"207." She answers.

I grin. "Mine is 202. We're not that far!"

"That's good," Elsa says, smiling her shy smile again.

I lead her to her locker and help her set up her lock.

"What class do you have first?" I ask as she puts her books inside of locker 207.

Elsa glances at her schedule. "History in room 304."

I lead her down the hall and toward room 304. "Well, here we are." I announce as we stand in front of the door.

"Thank you." Elsa says. She's about to go in, but she hesitates slightly.

"Wait," I tell her.

Elsa turns around, and before she can argue or run, I pull into a hug. "Good luck," I whisper.

When we let go, Elsa replies, "Thank you."

She disappers into the history room, and I sigh. _Please be okay, Elsa._

* * *

I find it incredibly hard to focus during theatre. All I can think about is how Elsa is doing. I don't know many of the eighth graders, only the ones that are in theater (there is more than one grade in the theater class), but the ones I don't know seem really rude. I just want-

"Anna! Your line!"

"What?" I ask, pulling myself away from my thoughts.

"Your line," Our director says through clenched teeth.

"Oh, um, right," I fumble around for my script, trying to find the right page.

I earn glares from the whole cast. "Sorry," I grin half-heartedly.

As I search through the script, no doubt blushing, the door bursts open. I look up, blushing even more when I see who it is.

Hans Westerguard. Seventh grader, charming, smart, kind, and all together perfect.

"I'm so sorry, Mrs. Crockett," Hans apologizes as he sets down his backpack. "Traffic was just awful, but I went over my lines in the car."

"That's quite alright, Hans," Mrs. Crockett smiles.

Normally, Mrs. Crockett will hunt down anyone who is late to class like a lion to its prey, but not Hans. What did I tell you? Charming.

"Now, Anna," Mrs. Crockett continues, smile gone. "Your line?"

"Right…" I chuckle nervously. "My line is…"

"Page 24," A voice behind me whispers.

I turn to see Hans standing behind me. _Hans_ talking to_ me!_ "Mrs. Crockett told me we were on page 24."

"Th-thanks," I stammer, most likely fire hydrant red now.

* * *

I stride into the lunch room, looking around. Kristoff isn't here. I sigh and sit down at our table. As I eat/wait for Kristoff, I pull out a piece of paper and start doodling a snowman.

Kristoff doesn't end up showing up. He must be absent. The bell rings and I go to my locker. As I set my books in there, I'm hit by a crumpled up ball of paper. I turn around and standing there is Wesley, the world's worst locker partner, seeing as he hates me.

"Hey, Anna," He smirks smugly. "Were you lonely without your boyfriend at lunch today?"

"Kristoff's not my boyfriend," I respond annoyedly.

"What's this?" He rips the snowman drawing from my hand.

"Give it back." I demand.

"A snowman?" He asks, holding it up to the light. "Ha! It's not even November, you dork!"

"I know, I'm a freak, just give it back!" I reach for it, even though there's no hope of me reaching it. Wesley is about a foot taller than me.

"Frosty the snowman was a jolly, happy soul!" Wesley sings mockingly. "You really have nothing better to do with your time than draw snowmen?"

I'm about to come up with a witty way to reply, but before I can, I'm interrupted by another voice. "Give it back to her!"

I look to see Elsa standing behind me, looking angry.

"Who the heck are you?" Wesley questions.

Instead of answering, Elsa repeats, "Give it back to her! You made her call herself a freak, and I won't tolerate that. Give it back and leave her alone!"

"Oh, you must be Anna's new sister, little orphan Annie!" Wesley taunts. "How cute! Anna needs her big sissy to protect her!"

Elsa's face flushes with anger. "Shut up!"

"You must be heartless to make fun of someone for being an orphan!" I growl.

By now, the other kids in the hall are all staring at us and whispering.

"Even cuter! They protect each other!" Wesley rolls his eyes. "The snowman and little orphan Annie."

Elsa balls her fists and starts walking toward him.

I put my hand on her arm. "Elsa, calm down."

"Calm down?!" Elsa questions incredulously. "How can I-"

"He's just a selfish idiot," I tell her. "Just ignore him."

"Anna, this kid is bullying you!" Elsa cries furiously. She turns back to Wesley. "You'd better leave my sister alone!"

Time stops. Elsa just called me her sister. She's comfortable calling me her sister. "…sister?" I whisper, frozen.

I snap back to reality when I see Elsa grab Wesley by the collar furiously. Wesley's smug smirk disappears and he pales.

"Elsa! Stop!" I shout, panicked.

Elsa ignores me and hisses, "Apologize to Anna, and don't you even think about talking to her again!"

"Woah…l-let go of me, you psycho!" Wesley sputters.

Elsa raises her fist.

"ELSA ANDERSEN!"

Our principal is gaping at her.

Elsa's anger vanishes and her eyes grow wide. She lets go of Wesley and backs away from him.

"Elsa…" I look at her in shock.

Elsa releases her fists and stares at her hands. She looks as if she is about to cry.

"Sh-she's insane!" Wesley stutters.

"Ms. Andersen," the principal scolds. "We do not tolerate violence at our school. Come with me."


	5. Suspension

_Things I've learned about Elsa:_

_\- She's never been to a real middle school_

_\- She was tutored at the orphanage_

_\- When she's nervous, she picks at her sweater_

_\- When she gets angry, she gets **angry**_

* * *

**Author's Note: Well, this chapter took longer than expected. Sorry! But, anyway, here it is!**

**By the way, I had originally said that this chapter took place a few weeks later, but midnight1339 pointed out my continuty error, SO this chapter now takes place the Monday after Elsa was adopted. :-)**

**I hope you like it!**

* * *

Elsa, Wesley and I sit in the office while the principal talks to our parents.

"I'm sure that you saw this out of context, Mrs. Trails," Papa says. "Granted, we haven't known her for long, but Elsa would never attempt to beat up anyone."

"That's not true!" Wesley counters, standing up. "She almost choked me by pulling my collar! She would've punched me if-"

"Wesley, now is not your time to speak." sighs.

Mama turns around and looks at Elsa sadly. "Elsa? Why would you do that?"

Elsa shakes her head, refusing to speak. She has tears streaming down her face.

I decide to answer for her. "She was just trying to defend me. Wesley was pushing me and her around, and it made us angry. But, Elsa didn't mean any of this."

"What was Wesley doing to you two?" Mrs. Trails asks.

"At first, he was just being annoying like he always is-"

"Anna!" Mama interrupts sharply.

"What? He _is_ annoying." I say defensively. "Anyway, he stole my drawing and Elsa told him to give it back, and then he started mocking Elsa for being an orphan and for defending me. That made us really mad, and then…" I trail off, giving Elsa a sideways glance.

"Then, Elsa tried to kill me!" Wesley finishes dramatically.

Mrs. Trails sighs and says, "Well, both Wesley and Elsa will have to face punishment."

"What?! Me?!" Wesley stands up. "B-but, I didn't do anything! It was her! She's traumatized me!"

"Wesley, that will be quite enough!" Mrs. Trails cuts him off sharply. "Elsa will have a 10 day suspension and Wesley will have a 1 day suspension."

"10?!" I exclaim.

"Anna, calm down." Mama says.

"Now, kids," Mrs. Trails says to Elsa, Wesley and I. "I'd like to talk to Mrs. Andersen alone, so if you could wait outside."

We slump out of the office and sit in the chairs against the wall.

"You know, your precious sister over her left scratch marks on my neck," Wesley tells me, pulling his collar down to show me. "I bet it's gonna scar."

Elsa pulls her knees up to her chest and hides her face, crying harder.

"Would you shut up?!" I hiss, holding back the urge to slap him. "None of this would've happened if it weren't for you!"

"I was harmlessly teasing you, and Elsa overreacted." Wesley argues. "You should get anger management classes for her."

I decide to ignore him and I turn to Elsa. "Are you okay?" I ask, putting a hand on her shoulder.

I see her head move slightly from between her knees, and I take it as a "no."

I'm about to say something more, but our parents come out. "Anna, you're supposed to go to sixth period now." Papa says. "Come on, Elsa. Let's go home."

"But, I want to be with Elsa." I frown.

Papa gives me a look that says now is is not the time to argue.

I nod, and trudge away. I give one last look at Elsa, who is walking away, sniffling. I turn back, holding back tears myself.

* * *

"Mama? Papa?"

Mama and Papa look up to see me in their doorway. "Hey, kiddo," Papa greets. "What's wrong?"

I shuffle into their room and sit on their bed. "I'm worried about Elsa. She hasn't talked to me at all since I got home, and she didn't come to dinner."

"Oh, sweetheart," Mama pulls me into a hug. "Elsa's just having a hard time adjusting. When your principal talked to us in private, she said that's probably what caused her sudden outburst. But, when Elsa gets off of her suspension, she has weekly sessions scheduled with the school councilor."

"But, I want to help her more," I say. "I don't like seeing her this way."

"That's very sweet of you, Anna, but, we're doing everything that we can." Mama replies. "Just, hang in there, alright?"

"Alright." I nod.

"Get some rest, honey." Mama smiles weakly.

I say my "good nights" to Mama and Papa and head back upstairs. I hesitantly walk into the room to see Elsa fast asleep with the Hans Christian Andersen book sprawled open on her chest. The lamp is the only light in the room, and she's still wearing the sweater that she wore to school. It looks as if she fell asleep while reading. I grin slightly at the sight of her.

I walk over to turn off her lamp. I have my hand on the switch when Elsa shifts in her sleep. I freeze, hoping not to wake her up. She mumbles something.

"What?" I ask, unsure if she's awake or not.

"This isn't happening…" She mumbles again. Her face contorts into a frown, and her eyebrows furrow. "…I didn't mean…I didn't know…I…"

She pulls the covers up to her head. She's shaking a lot.

"No!" Her voice is clearer now. "I'm sorry! It's not her fault!"

I start shaking her, trying to wake her up. "Elsa! It's just a dream!" I whisper.

"No!" Elsa chokes out, still out of it, but crying now. "She helps me! Don't take her away!"

"Elsa!" I say out loud. "Wake up! It's okay!"

Her eyes snap open, and she looks disoriented.

"Elsa, are you alright?" I ask softly.

Elsa looks at me and nods slowly. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" I question.

"I'm fine now, Anna." She answers, out of breath. "You can go back to bed."

"I wasn't asleep," I tell her. "Are you positive that you're okay?"

"Yes," She says, but her tearstained face tells a different story. "I'm positive. I'll go change into my pajamas."

Elsa climbs out of bed and grabs her nightgown. She brushes past me and goes into the bathroom to change.

I don't know what's going on with her, but I know one thing for sure: she's not positive.

* * *

"Hey, you're Elsa's sister, right?"

I turn away from my locker and see an eighth grade girl standing in front of me. "Um, yes?"

"Do you know what's wrong with her?" She asks.

I bite my bottom lip, as I always do when I'm upset. "There's nothing wrong with her."

"Well, she beat up a sixth grader," the girl counters. "I mean, she got suspended after one day of school!" She laughs a little bit.

"She didn't beat him up," I tell her angrily. "And, I'm well aware that she got suspended, yes."

"I'm just saying, there could be something wrong with her," The girl says. "You don't know her that well. She's not even your real sister."

"Just because we're not related doesn't mean we're not sisters!" I yell.

The girl holds up her hands. "Calm down! Gee, I guess you're a whole family of hot-heads!"

As she walks away, I slam my locker shut. This has been happening all day, or something similar. I'll walk innto a room and a group of people will stop talking, so I know that they were talking about Elsa. She's now known as "The Girl Who Got Suspended On Her First Day." There's more things to gossip about than this. Don't they have anything better to talk about?

I sigh and walk to lunch. But, I smile when I see that Kristoff is back.

"Hey!" I greet, sitting down. "Where were you?"

"I was sick," Kristoff answers.

"I really wanted you to meet Elsa yesterday," I tell him.

"What about today?" Kristoff asks.

"She's not here," I reply. "Haven't you heard about it?"

Kristoff shakes his head. "You really think I pay attention to gossip?"

I laugh a bit. "True. Well, have you heard about The Girl Who Got Suspended On Her First Day?"

"Wait, was that Elsa?" Kristoff raises his eyebrows in disbelief.

"Bingo," I respond. "But, you've probably heard it out of context."

"She beat someone up, right?" Kristoff asks.

"Wrong!" I sigh. "Almost beat someone up."

"Okay, but, um, why?" Kristoff adds.

"Well, Wesley was being a jerk to me," I explain. "And, then he started making fun Elsa for being an orphan. Between the two of us, Elsa got mad and almost…you know. But now, everyone's saying she did beat him up for no reason. Elsa deserves a better first impression than that! This isn't like her, trust me."

"Hm," Kristoff puts his hand on his chin as he thinks of how to respond.

"Are you stroking your imaginary thinking beard?" I joke.

"What?" Kristoff looks down. "Oh. I think I got this habit from my grandpa.

"I think that Elsa is going to be fine," Kristoff says. "Gossip passes, people get bored of talking about it, and move on to something else. As long as Elsa doesn't try to beat up anyone else, she'll be alright."

I sigh. "I hope you're right."

"When have I ever been wrong?" Kristoff asks.

"When you got kicked out of the store for calling the clerk a crook," I answer.

"No, he totally tried to make me pay more than I should have," Kristoff argues. "I saw the price tag!"

"Yes, but did you really think he would've sold anything to you after you called him a crook?" I point out.

Kristoff frowns. "Touché. But, trust me on this one, Anna. If Elsa really is the great person you've been telling me about, which I don't doubt she is, she'll make a better second impression."

* * *

Neither Mama nor Papa's cars are in the driveway when I come home, so I'm not surprised to hear a familiar voice filling the house when I open the door.

_"The snow glows white on the mountain tonight, not a footprint to be seen,"_

Instead of hiding in the doorway, I decide to listen from upstairs, so that Elsa doesn't see me.

_"A kingdom of isolation, and it looks like I'm the queen,"_

Those words break my heart. Of course Elsa feels isolated; she's been alone in an orphanage for how many years? I want to tell her that she's not alone anymore; she has me.

_"The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside, couldn't keep it in, heaven knows I tried…"_

_Couldn't keep it in?_ Has she lost her temper before?

_"Don't let them in, don't let them see…"_

I continue to listen for a while. I smile when she gets to the chorus. She sounds so happy. I dare to peek into the room, leaning over the railing of the stairs.

_"It's funny how some distance makes everything seem small, and the fears-"_

She plays a wrong note on the piano, but she doesn't stop singing. Instead, she gets off of the piano bench and continues, _"that once controlled me can't get to me at all!"_

I watch as she keeps singing, joy written all over her face. I've never seen her so happy.

_"Here I stand in the light of day! Let the storm rage on! The cold never bothered me anyway."_

I grin when she finishes. I want to clap, but it's probably best that she doesn't know that I was watching her.

I sling my backpack back over my shoulder and slip into the room, pretending that I just got home. "Hey Elsa," I greet.

"Oh, Anna," Her smile fades and she starts wringing her hands. "Hi."

I glance into the kitchen. "Do you want to get a snack?" I offer.

"I'm not hungry," She replies. "But, thank you."

I notice that she still won't make eye contact with me. She hasn't since yesterday.

"I think I'll go upstairs," She says softly. With that, she makes a beeline toward our room.

I follow behind her. I walk up to a closed door. "Elsa? Can I come in?"

She doesn't reply.

"Elsa?"

Silence.

"Elsa? Do you want to do something?" I offer. "I feel kind of awkward, asking you to play like a little kid."

Nothing.

"I haven't really seen you since yesterday," I continue. "You…you can tell me anything, you know."

The door clicks open. Elsa stands there, her eyes bloodshot. She looks equal parts tired and stressed out. "Anything?" She asks.

"Of course," I smile.

Elsa sighs, and steps aside to let me in. She falls onto her bed and I sit next to her. She starts rubbing her temples. "I really have no idea how that happened. I just felt something…like this need to defend you. But, I'm a horrible person."

I put my hand on hers. "You are not a horrible person," I assure her. "That has to be the bravest thing anyone has ever done for me. I'm notthe saying that beating people up is a good thing, but you're the first person to ever defend me. That little weasel has been picking on me since third grade, and nobody's ever stood up for me."

Elsa shakes her head. "I really did almost punch him, Anna."

"Don't let him get to you-"

"No, Anna, I really did!" She interrupts. She looks up at me with watery eyes. "I really would have punched him if the principal hadn't stopped me. I almost punched him. I almost hurt him!"

"But, you didn't!" I point out. "And, that's what matters, right?"

Elsa bites her lip and shakes her head again, looking down. "No, it's not. What matters is that I'm dangerous."

"Elsa," I sigh. "It was an accident. You can't be so hard on yourself."

"How are you not scared of me?" She asks. "I didn't even last one day before getting suspended! Aren't you worried that I'm some sort jerk?"

"No," I answer. "Because, even though I've only known you for a few weeks, I know that you're a good person with the best intentions. And, even if you had punched him, I still would know that. That wouldn't have changed a thing. I promise."

Suddenly, Elsa hugs me. She was the first one to hug; not me. She _voluntarily_ hugged me. After getting over my shock, I hug her back.

"Thank you," She says, her voice cracking.

"Everything I said was true, you know," I assure her.

"You're my best friend," Elsa smiles, pulling away. Then, her eyes light up. "No, you're more than that. You're my sister."

* * *

**Author's Note: In case it wasn't obvious, I didn't write Let It Go. Kristin Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez did. (But, Elsa did in the story ;) ) **

**Next Chapter: Elsa's Welcome Party!**


	6. To Elsa!

**Author's Note: I'm back! I know it's been forever, so I guess you could say that for the first time in forever, there's another chapter! This chapter was really hard to write for some reason, but I can promise that the next chapter won't take this long. I'd like to give credit to midnight1339, my new beta reader who has helped a lot with this chapter.**

**So, Anna's family is made up of some Disney characters and some OC's that will probably never show up again. :3**

**And, Kristoff's siblings names are based on the names of background rock trolls from the movie.**

**Oh, and I added some cover art, I'm case you noticed. Sooo, yeah. **

**Now, at long last, THE NEXT CHAPTER OF LOVE WILL THAW!**

* * *

"Elsa!" I run upstairs, full of delight.

I find her sitting on her bed, reading again. "What is it?" She asks.

"It is official!" I declare, sitting down beside her.

"What is official?" She smirks.

"Your official welcome party is officially on Saturday," I announce. "It's on the calendar in official blue Sharpie."

"My welcome party?" Elsa asks.

I nod. "Remember? We talked about it on your first morning here."

"Um, yeah, I remember," Elsa brushes some hair behind her ear. "But, what-what will we be doing?"

"It's a barbecue outside with the whole family," I answer. "That is, if you like barbeque. Because, we could do something else if you don't-"

"No, no, Anna, it's fine," Elsa interrupts.

"Then, why do sound upset?" I ask.

"I'm not upset," Elsa says. "Just, um, shocked. I haven't had a party in...in years."

"Do you not like parties?" I ask. "It'll just be our closest friends and family. There's nothing to worry about."

Elsa nods, but I can tell that she's still unsure.

"Hey," I say, putting my hand on her shoulder. "They're going to love you, Elsa."

Elsa's eyebrows furrow. "How did you know I was worried about them not liking me?"

"Because I can read minds," I say simply.

Elsa giggles slightly before she returns to her worry. "Though, what if I'm seen as a troublemaker for what I've done?"

"They're going to welcome you with warm arms anyway," I assure her. "Trust me. We're all here for you, Elsa. You're not alone anymore."

Elsa smiles. "Thanks,"

"Anytime," I grin. "Now, come on! Kristoff and his family is coming over for dinner! You can finally meet them!"

In perfect timing, the doorbell rings.

"Oo! That's them!" I squeal.

I grab Elsa by the arm and drag her downstairs.

Kristoff and his family are waiting at the door. "Hi!" I exclaim. I wave my hands in front of Elsa and smile, "This is my sister, Elsa!" Turning my hands to Kristoff's family, I say, "And these are the Bjorgmans! This is Mr. And Mrs. Bjorgman, Mrs. Bjorgman's father, Dr. Pabbie, and then, in age order, are Soren, Gothi, Kristoff, and Hulda!"

Kristoff claps. "Very nice introduction, Anna."

I curtsy. "Why, thank you."

"It's nice to meet you," Elsa smiles, holding out her hand.

Mrs. Bjorgman grabs her hand and pulls her into a hug. Elsa looks shocked for moment, but smiles eventually.

"We're really close, in case you couldn't tell," I tell her.

Pulling away, Mrs. Bjorgman says, "It's great to meet you too, honey. Well, in person, anyway."

"In person?" Elsa looks confused.

"Yeah," I nod. "Mrs. Bjorgman checks on us when we're home alone. She just pokes her head in the door every now and then. Didn't Mama and Papa tell you?"

A look of realization and embarassment crosses her face. "They did, I remember now. They mentioned it when they ran to get flour that first morning, but that morning was so crazy, I completely forgot."

"Don't be embarrassed, Elsa!" Mrs. Bjorgman says. "I'm the one who should be embarassed for never say hi. I just didn't want to interrupt your beautiful piano playing and singing!"

Elsa turns beet red. "Thank you," She mumbles.

"Oh, hello!" Mama walks out of the kitchen. "You're here! Why didn't you tell me, Anna?"

"I was being an introducer, mind you," I tease.

"Oh well, mind me," Mama teases back. Then, she calls, "Agdar! The Bjorgmans are here!" She turns back to us and says, "Dinner will be ready soon."

Papa walks in and before he can speak, I exclaim, "Wait! Before anyone goes, since everyone's in the same room, we must discuss Elsa's party!"

"Anna, I have to go finish din-" Mama tries to escape but I interrupt.

"I'll make this quick!" I assure her. "Mama, I've decided that you will take Elsa shopping as a distraction while we decorate. Dr. Pabbie, you will obviously be the doctor in case of emergency and/or freak accident, so be sure to have spare band-aids. As for the rest of you, you are all ordinary guests, so you won't have to do any work. Except you, Kristoff. You're decorating with me whether you like it or not."

Kristoff rolls his eyes at me. "Yes, master. But what if Kristoff finds a sock? Will Kristoff be free from his duties?"

"No," I answer. "Because, one: you're not a house-elf, and two: a house-elf's master must present the elf with clothes, the elf cannot simply find clothing lying about."

"Okay then, Potter-expert," Kristoff chuckles.

"It's common knowledge," I tell him.

"Now, may I go cook?" Mama asks.

I nod and she goes.

"She's right, you know," Elsa says. "The house-elf thing is common knowledge."

Kristoff sighs. "I make one Harry Potter reference and we must get into a debate about it?"

"Yes," I grin.

A few minutes of chatting passes and then, Mama comes out with dinner. We all sit down and once everyone is ready, I raise my soda and announce, "A toast to Elsa, my fantastic new sister!"

"And daughter!" Mama adds.

"And neighbor!" Mrs. Bjorgman chimes in.

Elsa chuckles, blushing once more. "Thank you,"

Everyone (excluding Elsa), raises their glass and exclaims, "To Elsa!"

* * *

"Hey!" I rush downstairs and point at Elsa. "What are you still doing here?"

"We were just going," Mama says, picking up her purse. "Calm down!"

"Alright, alright, sorry, but I just can't let her be here while we're decorating," I respond. "It has to be a surprise."

"Why?" Elsa asks.

"Because surprises are fun," I answer. "Now, go, you two! Go have some mother-daughter bonding time while we set up!" I shoo them away.

"We're going! We're going!" Mama laughs.

Not even a minute after they're gone, the Bjorgmans arrive.

"Oh! Kristoff, I'm so excited!" I squeal. "And scared. But mostly excited!"

Kristoff chuckles. "Why would you be scared?"

"I don't really know," I say, grabbing a streamer to tape on the doorframe. "But, I've got butterflies in my stomach. I just really want this to be perfect, you know? I mean, she's meeting her entire family. This is big, Kristoff. Super big."

"Hey, it'll be great no matter what," Kristoff assures, grabbing some tape for me. "Don't you remember what happened at my welcome party?"

I laugh at the memory. "How could I forget? Your mom saw us talking and started teasing that we would get married. Pretty soon, I was wearing a wedding dress made toliet paper and you on your little cousin's oversized, clown bowtie on!"

"According to Mom, we're still officially married by Bjorgman law," Kristoff grins.

"Just call me Anna Bjorgman," I giggle. "Hey, when did you start calling your parents Mom and Dad?"

Kristoff shrugs. "Within a week or so. Why?"

I frown. "Elsa still calls Mama and Papa 'Mr. and Mrs. Andersen.'"

"Well, it's different for her," Kristoff replies. "She knew her parents for eight years, right? I don't have any memory of my birth parents."

"True," I say.

"She'll be ready when she's ready," Kristoff says. "Just give her time."

Not long afterward, the other guests slowly start arriving.

"Anna!" Rapunzel, my cousin, puts her hands on hips when she sees Kristoff and I decorating. "How could you decorate without me?"

"Sorry, Punzie," I giggle.

"Hmm, let me just fix these balloons," Rapunzel starts bunching clusters of balloons in a different order than we already had them. "Rainbow is much more festive." She says, admiring her now-rainbow-clustered balloons. Then, she turns to me. "I am SO excited to meet Elsa! I've been counting down the days 'til we came-"

"It's her!" I cry, spotting Mama's car. "Everyone, c'mon, let's go greet her! But, let's not overwhelm her. But, let's get her!"

The whole family runs over to Elsa as soon as she gets out of the car, saying things like, "Oh, she's like a little snowflake!" And "Welcome!" And "I like your hair!"

Elsa looks from relative to relative, looking flustered. Before I can rescue her, my great grandma says, "Now, now, give the poor girl some space!" She takes Elsa's hand and smiles.

Elsa nervously smiles back. "Hi," She whispers.

"Hi," Great-Grandma says. "I'm your great-grandmother."

"I've never had a living great grandma before," Elsa responds very quietly.

"Yes, I'm pretty old," Great-Grandma jokes.

Elsa looks horrified. "Oh no! I didn't mean it like that!"

Great-Grandma laughs. "I know you didn't, dear. I was joking."

Elsa smirks a bit, blushing.

"You're tall," My five year old cousin, Tommy, says, staring up at Elsa in wonder. "I like you!" He hugs her leg, the highest he can reach.

Rapunzel jumps in for a hug, too, and shouts, "COUSIN HUGS!"

The rest of the cousins and I all hug Elsa. In the midst of the hug, I catch a glimpse of Elsa, who is blushing harder and has tears in her eyes.

"Elsa, are you okay?" I ask, frowning.

Elsa smiles widely. "I've never been better," She answers. "These are tears of happiness."

I smile back, feeling tears of my own.

Eventually, the hug breaks up but I run up to Elsa's side immediately. But, Papa comes up and asks if I can help with grilling the hot dogs. I give a sideways glance toward Elsa. Noticing this, Papa adds, "You can help too if you want, Elsa."

"That's okay," Elsa replies. "I'm going to visit with the relatives."

"You'll be okay on your own?" I ask.

Elsa nods confidently.

I smile and go with Papa.

* * *

After I grill a few hot dogs, I turn around to spot Elsa with Great Aunt Polly, looking as if she's very bored but trying not to show it. "Uh-oh," I say.

"What is it?" Papa asks.

"It looks like Aunt Polly is telling one of her infamous cat stories to Elsa," I tell him.

Papa laughs. "She's always been like that, telling her long-winded stories, even when I was your age. Elsa's so polite. I always just told her I was bored and ran off. You can go rescue her."

"Thanks," I chuckle and run over to them.

"...So, when Whiskers died, I got Mr. Cuddlemuffin, a great, big fluffy tabby. Mr. Cuddlemuffin only ate organic cat food, otherwise he'd get sick, but the organic food was $3.25, while the normal food was only 2.50, so that was a definite problem…" Aunt Polly goes on. Elsa nods occasionally, her eyelids drooping.

I tap Elsa on the shoulder. She suddenly straightens up, regaining attention. "Hey Elsa, sorry to interrupt, but I've got something to show you," I say.

"Go ahead, girls," Aunt Polly smiles.

"Thanks," I tell her.

Elsa and I walk away. Once she's out of earshot, Elsa whispers, "Thank you."

"No problem," I whisper. "I know. Aunt Polly's really nice, but she tends to be a bit...tiring, sometimes."

Elsa giggles.

"Hey!" Rapunzel practically attacks Elsa in hug from behind. Letting go, she says, "You and I have not been properly introduced yet. I mean, we hugged earlier, but that was with everyone. Anyway, I'm Rapunzel, as you already know."

"I'm Elsa," Elsa responds.

"I know!" Rapunzel says. "Have you given her an introduction to everyone yet?"

"We can do that together," I reply. "Come on!"

Rapunzel and I each take one of Elsa's arms and lead around the backyard.

"Okay, so, you're already well acquainted with Aunt Polly," I begin. "Hmm...Aha! That's Tommy, the one who hugged you. He's a five year paper airplane genius."

"What do you mean?" Elsa asks.

"He makes these paper airplanes that go really far," I answer excitedly.

As if on cue, Tommy throws an airplane upward. It soars across the street and over a house.

"And, that's his sister, Tessa, who...oh, look. She's texting her boyfriend again," Rapunzel says, feigning surprise. "If you want to separate her from her phone, you'll have to be wearing protective padding."

"And, there's Aunt Ariel!" I continue, pointing to her. "She has a collection of anything and everything. Buttons, cards, money, you name it. But, she's most fascinated with forks. She likes the fact that you can use them as combs."

"You can?" Elsa asks.

"She can." I respond.

"And her husband is Uncle Eric," Rapunzel says. "Wait. Where's Eugene?"

"Who?" Elsa asks.

"He's close friends with Kristoff since they were both at the same orphanage," Rapunzel answers. "Where could he...oh."

Rapunzel spots him rummaging through someone's purse. She smirks and approaches him. "What 'cha doing?"

"What?" Eugene turns around, chuckling guiltily. "Nothing!"

"M-hmm," Rapunzel nods, eyebrow raised. "You do know that's my mom's purse, right?"

"Umm...sorry?" Eugene drops something back into the purse, red-handed.

"I thought you promised a certain blonde to stop pickpocketing when you and the blonde met a few years ago." Rapunzel reminds him.

"I don't see any blondes," Eugene says, looking around. "Only brunette."

Rapunzel smacks Eugene playfully. "That doesn't matter!" She says, then her face suddenly became serious. "Please Eugene. You're a good person. Don't steal."

Eugene looks slightly guilty. "Sorry,"

"Thank you," Rapunzel replies, satisfied. Changing her tone, she says, "So, did you just get here? Oh, you haven't met my new cousin!"

"Yes, the guest of honor," Eugene holds at his hand, raising his eyebrows and pursing his lips.

"Oh gosh," Rapunzel says under her breath.

Elsa looks slightly unnerved. "I'm sorry. Do-do I look weird?"

"No," Eugene responds. "Why do you ask?"

"It's just the way you're looking at me," Elsa says.

Rapunzel and I burst into a fit of giggles simultaneously. "He's smoldering!" I tell her.

"What?" Elsa asks, cracking a grin as Eugene's face turns red.

"He's giving you 'the smolder,' I laugh. "He does that when he wants to make a good impression on people, especially girls." I lean over to Elsa's ear and mutter, "You should have seen his smolder when he met Rapunzel."

Elsa giggles and shakes Eugene's hand.

"What were you guys saying?" Eugene questions.

"I heard my name," Rapunzel adds, giving us a suspicious look.

"Oh, nothing," Elsa and I answer in unison.

"You little lovebirds," Elsa mumbles so that only I can hear.

"Eugene!" Kristoff grins, walking over to join us. "Hey!"

"Hey Kristoff!" Eugene responds. "Long time, no see!"

"So, now that everyone is aqquainted, who wants to play Uno?" Rapunzel asks, pulling a deck of cards from her pocket.

I notice Elsa's eyes light up with excitement for a fraction of a second.

"Do you like Uno?" I ask, smiling.

Elsa smirks embarrassedly. "We played it a lot at the orphanage."

"Were you good at it?" I ask.

Elsa shrugs. "I guess. It's mainly luck."

"Hmm, let's play then!" Rapunzel declares.

We all sit down in the grass and she deals out the cards. Rapunzel starts with a yellow seven. Elsa lays down her cards like lightning. As the game goes on, I watch as she relaxes and becomes more comfortable. In no time, she shouts, "Uno!" Glancing down at her "Add 4" cards, she nudges Eugene and says, "Fork it over, Fitzherbert."

I look at my normally soft-spoken sister in disbelief for a moment before bursting into laughter.

Elsa joins in with my laughter. Only, this is different from when she usually laughs. It's not restrained, or her normal polite giggle. It's a loud belly-laugh, full of freedom and pure fun. She throws her head back, shaking with true laughter.

A smile spreads across my face.

Her laugh is one of the most beautiful sounds I've ever heard.


	7. Rejection Is A Bitter Thing

_Things I've Learned About Elsa:_

_-She's great at Uno_

_-She has a beautiful laugh_

* * *

A light shining through the door wakes me up.

"Why is the door open?" I mumble into my pillow. "And why is the light on? I wanna sleep…"

I hear steps on the stairs and I grudgingly sit up and grumble, "Why is anyone awake right now? It's…" I glance at the clock before saying, "3:47!"

I glance back at the other end of the room and see that Elsa isn't in her bed. "Wait, what?" I mutter. "Elsa? Where are you?"

I creep out of the room and down the hall, whisper-shouting for Elsa. Soon, I hear soft crying coming from Mama and Papa's room. I peek in to see Elsa leaning on Mama, tears running down her face. I lean against the wall and eavesdrop, curiosity getting the best of me.

"I'm so scared to go back to school tomorrow," She sniffs.

Mama rubs her hair, like she does when I'm upset. "It's going to be okay, Elsa. You're a wonderful, kind girl, and I know you'll have plenty of friends soon."

Elsa's been dreading school all day. She wouldn't tell anyone, but I could figure it out. She barely touched her dinner. I tried to comfort her earlier, but she refused to admit that she was worried. While I hate seeing her upset, it warms my heart to see her open up to Mama.

"It's so hard to talk to people, though," Elsa whispers. "You were all so welcoming and made it easy, but the people at school aren't. Especially now that I'm known as some kind of troubled loner kid."

"Trust me, you will find someone at school who will welcome you warmly, and they may need you just as much as you need them," Mama says. "And, I'm sure they don't see you as a troubled loner. People have a tendency to think that everyone is focused on their mistakes, but in all honesty, I'm sure most of the school has forgotten by now."

Elsa hugs Mama and smiles a bit. "Thank you. For your words of wisdom and for listening to me complain about school in the middle of the night."

"You're not complaining," Mama assures her. "You're worried. It would feel awful to keep those worried feelings in."

Elsa gives Mama one last, long hug before slipping off if the bed.

"Good night, darling." Mama whispers sweetly.

Elsa looks at her and says, "Good night, Mrs. And-" She cuts herself off before hesitantly responding, "Good night, M-Mama."

Wait, did she really call her "Mama?"

Mama's eyes twinkle and she blows Elsa a kiss.

I grin with excitement and tiptoe down the hall. I slip into bed, careful not to let Elsa know that I heard that.

She called her Mama.

Our family is finally coming together.

* * *

I stare at the clock, impatiently tapping my foot. It's the last period of the day, and I'm on the edge of my seat with anticipation at how Elsa's day went. On the way to school, she had that look on her face that said she was both excited and scared, which I assumed meant that she was planning on trying to make friends.

Unable to help myself, I had asked her, "So, do you have any big plans for your first day back at school?"

I internally scolded myself after saying that. I hadn't wanted her to know that I'd heard her conversation with Mama, but I thought that had to give it away.

Instead of the suspicious look I'd expected from her, though, she just giggled and said, "No need to be sly, Anna. I saw you walking back to our room last night."

I sighed and launched into an explanation. "I wasn't trying to invade your privacy or anything! I just saw that you weren't in your bed, so I got worried, and I walked down the hall to find you, and then, I saw you with Mama and I heard a bit of your conversation-and by a bit, I mean just the middle and end of it-and I might have accidentally eavesdropped."

Elsa laughed and ruffled my hair. "That was quite the run-on sentence."

I pouted. "Well, I'm no grammar expert."

"I know, and that's fine," Elsa assured. "Anyhow, if it's making friends that you're asking about, then yes, I'm going to try talking to some people at lunch today."

I gasped with excitement. "Elsa! That's so brave of you!"

"Thanks," Elsa smiled half-heartedly. "I just hope actually have the bravery to put it into action."

"Of course you do," I affirmed, patting her back. "You're the bravest person I know."

Elsa gave me a worried but sincere smile. "Thank you."

"I mean it," I said firmly as the bus pulled up to the school. "Now, before you go to talk to anyone, just remember: no worries."

Elsa looked at me and, with a bit more of a confident smile, repeated, "No worries."

The bell rings and I snap out of my memories. I leap out if my seat and make a beeline towards the door, but before I can open it-

"Ms. Andersen, what on earth are you so eager for?" My teacher asks. "I dismiss you, not the bell. Now, take a seat. You will be dismissed last."

I trudge back to my desk, releasing the breath I didn't realize that I was holding. I put my hand on my cheek and watch the lucky ones leave.

When the last person closes the door, my teacher says, "Stop pouting, Anna. You may leave, but don't forget, you'll be meeting with your tutor tomorrow."

I perk up. My student tutor, Belle, is always great to see. She was assigned to tutor me when I recieved a failing grade in english during the first grading cycle. She's in eighth grade, like Elsa. Now that I think about it, they'd get along very well...

"Ms. Andersen? I believe that just a few seconds ago, you were dying to leave my class, and now you're simply standing here." My teacher cuts off my thoughts.

"Right," I say distractedly, my thoughts back to Elsa. Without saying goodbye to my teacher, I rush out the door and wait for Elsa by my locker. Soon enough, I spot Elsa twisting her lock across the wall. I excitedly shove my things into my locker and, forgetting to lock mine, I bounce over to Elsa.

"Sooooo," I grin, peeking over her shoulder. "How'd it go?"

Elsa glances at me and smirks slightly. "You shouldn't keep your locker unlocked," She says. "Someone might steal your things."

I pout. "It's not like I have anything valuable in there."

"I'd lock it if I were you," Elsa shrugs.

I slink over to my locker, twist it shut, and rush back over to Elsa. "Now, tell me all about lunch time." I demand, bouncing eagerly.

Elsa shuts her locker and walks down the the hallway with me. "I-I tried." She says, with her hands in her pockets.

"Wait, you mean no one let you sit with them?" I ask, balling my fists. "Those eighth grade jerks! I bet they don't even know what-"

"Anna, Anna, calm down!" Elsa says, holding out her hands as if to stop me. "I did sit with someone."

My excitement returns. "You did?" I clap my hands. "You scared me! I thought that you were all alone in there, but you did it! You really did! So, who was it? Is he or she nice? Can I meet him or her?"

Elsa smiles at me, but there's a tinge of sadness to it. "It, it didn't really work out, though."

My face falls again. "What?"

"It's fine, though," Elsa assured me. "Really, it might be for the better. I'm not much of a social butterfly anyway."

"Well, what happened?" I push. "Why didn't it work out?"

"It doesn't really matter," Elsa brushes it off. "How was your day?"

"Don't try and change the subject on me," I huff. "It obviously matters. What happened?"

"Fine, but don't overreact," Elsa says, pushing open the doors of the school. "I sat with this girl. She had a pretty unusual name, like Cruella or something. Anyway, we talked for a while and got along very well. But, then she asked if I wanted to skip fifth period with her, and I told her I wasn't into that kind of stuff. I'd planned on still being friends with her, though. We all make mistakes. But, she kept pushing me and pushing me, and finally, she just called me lame and left with her other friends, so I assumed that meant she didn't want to hang out anymore."

"What a jerk!" I fume. "You know, I've heard about her! I hear she kicks puppies."

Elsa rolls her eyes. "Not everything you hear is true, Anna. Don't be quick to judge."

"Sorry," I grumble. I take a deep breath and continue, "You know what? It's fine. There's always tomorrow. Besides, I can help you. There are some nice kids in your grade in my theatre class, and my tutor-"

"Thanks, Anna, but I've made a decision," Elsa stops my rambling. "I'm not going to force a friendship. I'm going to let it happen on its own and in its own time."

"Wait, what do you mean?" I ask. "You're not going to try?"

"No, that's not exactly what I mean," She says. "I'm just going to see if friendship comes to me. I'm going to let it happen naturally."

I give her a look of disbelief. "So, you're just going to wait for something to happen, like magic?"

"Not like magic," Elsa scoffs, stepping onto the bus. "Look, all I'm saying is that I'm not going to focus on this whole 'finding a friend' thing. Believe it or not, there are much worse things that eating alone. I can't just walk up to someone in the cafeteria and find a best friend for life. It will happen eventually."

"But, you have to take some kind of action, or you'll never find that friend," I argue, following her onto the bus. "Like I said, I can help you. I'll introduce you to my tutor, Belle, tomorrow. You two will get along really well. She loves reading, just like you."

Elsa tenses slightly as we sit down. She's quiet for a bit, as if considering it, but she finally says in a tight voice, "That's a kind offer, but no thank you. Like I said, I don't want to force a friendship. I will meet someone eventually."

Suddenly, I get angry at the fact that she won't try. "But, what are you so afraid of?!" I question, crossing my arms. "Rejection? Rejection is the worst thing that can happen in this situation, and it's not that bad."

Elsa's neutral face turns deeply hurt and I realize that I said something wrong. She looks down and mutters, "You have no idea how bitter rejection can be."

My heart breaks at how sorrowfully she said that. "I'm sorry," I tell her, putting my hand on hers.

She holds my hand and gives me one of her small smiles. "You have nothing to apologize for." She says.

"Did...did someone reject you?" I ask tentatively. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Elsa shakes her head, and I can't tell which question she's saying no to, but I'm pretty sure it's the second one. "I want to hear about your day," She says, looking up. "How was it?"

I launch into a story about my day, but I don't forget what I'm focused on. _Don't worry, Elsa,_ I think to myself. _If you can't do it yourself, I'll find a friend for you._

* * *

I spend the next day mentally planning how I'll bring Elsa up to Belle after school. I haven't seen Belle since before the adoption, but she's already well-aware of Elsa's presence because I rambled about her non-stop for the weeks preceding her arrival. I'm lucky that Belle is a good listener.

After the world's second longest day of school (the first being when we were waiting to officially adopt Elsa), the bell finally rings and I head to the library. Belle is already waiting for me at our usual studying table.

"Hey Belle!" I grin, sitting down in front of her.

"Hi Anna," Belle smiles. "So, if I'm correct, a lot has happened since we last saw each other?" She gives me a knowing look, as if she'd predicted that I was ready to start rattling on about Elsa.

"Yes!" I squeal, grateful that she brought it up first. "Elsa's super nice, and caring, and great, and, oh! Do you have any classes with her? Have you met her yet?"

Belle giggles and shakes her head. "No, but she sounds great."

"Oh, she is," I gush. Then, something occurs to me. What if Belle has heard about the Wesley incident? Oh, what am I saying?! Of course she's heard about it!

"Is something wrong, Anna?" She asks, noticing the sudden disappearence of my smile.

I sigh and say, "Look, anything you've heard about Elsa, besides what I just told you, is not true. Okay, she did lose her temper on Wesley, but that's only because she was trying to defend me and he was pushing her buttons anyway. Plus, she didn't beat him up like everyone says. I mean, she almost-"

"Anna!" Belle cuts me off, much like Elsa had to do yesterday morning. "Calm down. I don't listen to gossip, anyway. I mean, I did hear about what happened between Elsa and Wesley, but I figured that it wasn't the whole story, and I was sure you'd clear it up for me." I let out a sigh of relief, and Belle smiles as she continues, "You know very well that I never judge a book by its cover. Some of the best books I've ever read have had covers that are falling to pieces."

"Thank goodness," I respond, grinning.

"Now, let's get to work, shall we?" Belle says, pulling out the sixth grade textbook.

I falter for a moment. I was about to ask her if she'd sit with Elsa at lunch. But, I nod, assuming I can ask her afterwards.

The hour that Belle uses to give me my usual lesson on grammar goes by very quickly, and, soon enough, Belle starts packing up. As she packs, I say, "So, you know how I was telling you about Elsa earlier?" She nods and I continue, "Well, Elsa's pretty shy, and has had some trouble making friends. I was wondering if maybe you could sit with her at lunch?"

Belle pauses for a second and, after a moment, replies, "I would love to, but I don't exactly eat lunch in the cafetieria." Seeing my confused face, she explains, "I eat here in the library. It's a nice escape from..."

She trails off, and I ask, "From what?"

Belle shrugs and continues, "From this provincial life. I can enter the worlds of my books, and get lost there." She sighs. "You see, my fellow students find me odd, and they make sure I'm aware of it. When I'm in the library, they can't get to me." She swings her bag over her shoulder and says, "But, Elsa is welcome to join me in here, if she wants."

"I'll ask her," I respond. "I didn't know that the kids were so mean to you."

"Oh, don't worry about me, though," Belle says. "I'm fine." As she walks out, she calls, "Be sure to tell Elsa to come to the library! I want to meet her!"

"Okay," I call back, but I sigh once she's gone. I'll try to convince her to come, but I highly doubt she will since she "doesn't want to force a friendship."

I gather my things and walk down the hall, shoulders slumped in defeat. I'm about to go out and meet Mama in the parking lot when I hear-

"Hey Belle!"

I look up and see the quarterback for the eighth grade football team, Gaston, swagger up to Belle, followed by a kid that's only ever called by his last name, LeFou. I narrow my eyes and watch from afar. If they're the ones bothering Belle, I'm going to do something about it.

Belle sighs, setting her books in her locker. "Hello, Gaston." She responds bitterly.

Gaston pushes her aside and pulls the book she just set in locker back out. "What the heck are you reading?! This thing is like a brick!"

Belle sighs again. "_Les Miserables_ by Victor Hugo."

"Why would you take the time to read all this?!" Gaston exclaims, flipping through the large book. "There's so many...words! And, the words are so small!"

"Believe it or not, Gaston, the words are quite interesting," Belle retorts. "Now, give it back. It's an old book, so it's fragile."

Ignoring her warning, Gaston tosses the novel carelessly back in her locker. "Well, I'm not here to discuss Les Miserablahblah."

"_Les Miserables,_" Belle mutters.

"I'm here to make your day!" Gaston declares. "No, not day! I'll make your month! I'll make your year! Belle, you will be happy to hear that I have chosen you to take to the homecoming dance."

Belle pause for a second and turns to Gaston. "Um, that's a kind offer, but no thanks."

Gaston looks appalled. "No thanks?! Why would you,of all people, say no to me?!"

Belle's cheeks glow as she responds, "Because you're pretentious, rude, and you treat everyone like dirt."

Gaston scoffs. "Listen, Belle, you're not going to get another offer like this, so I wouldn't pass it up."

"Yeah!" Lefou chimes in. "No one else is going to ask the school oddball with the crazy dad!"

Belle's face turns redder and her voice cracks slightly when she says, "My father isn't crazy! He's eccentric, and there's nothing wrong with that."

I shake my head, ready to step in and help. But, before I can, I see a familiar blonde striding down the hall, shouting, "Leave her alone! She said 'no!'"

"Elsa?" I say in disbelief.

The four of them give me a brief glance, realizing that I'd been watching the whole time. Elsa spots that I was about to step forward, so she grins and mouths, "I've got this."

"Who are you?" Gaston asks.

LeFou gasps. "She's the girl who beat up that sixth grader last week!"

"Are you here to beat me up?" Gaston questions smugly. "'Cause I can't fight a girl."

"Of course not," Elsa crosses her arms. "I'm here because she said no, and you're taunting her. Just take the 'no', and move on! You've got practically all of the other eighth grade girls pining for you!"

"How do you even know this?!" Gaston exclaims. "You've been here for, like, two days!"

"Two and half," Elsa promptly corrects him. "And, I know this because I'm observant. They give you flirty eyes in the hall and during class."

"We have classes together?" Gaston mutters in disbelief.

"Yes," Elsa says exasperatedly. "Now, go! She said no, and she meant it." She motions towards me. "Come on, Anna. Mrs-erm,Mama's waiting for us."

"Fine," Gaston says bitterly, glaring at us. "The two school weirdos can go...read in a corner or something. See what I care!"

LeFou glances up at Gaston, and, while attempting to match the quaterback's glare, he chimes in with a weak, "Yeah! See what he cares!"

Gaston gives LeFou a quick flick on the head and mutters, "Shut up."

"Thank you so much!" Belle says to Elsa, her brown eyes shimmering with gratitude. "Those two just never leave me alone."

"It was my pleasure," Elsa replies. "It was hard to watch them being such jerks."

I smile at them. "Elsa, this is Belle, who I was telling you about."

"I assumed so," Elsa says good-naturedly. She turns back to Belle and adds, "It's nice to meet you."

"You too," Belle grins. "I don't suppose you'd want to join me for lunch tomorrow."

Elsa's face lights up as she nods.

I squeal and give her a not-too-subtle thumbs up. "Belle eats in the li-"

Belle stops me and says, "Actually, I think I'll be okay in the cafeteria tomorrow. It's better with a friend." She glances towards the door. "I'd better go meet my father. He's waiting for me outside. See you tomorrow!" With that, she runs out, leaving Elsa and I alone in the hall.

"Well, it looks like friendship came to you on its own, afterall," I shrug.

"Not exactly," Elsa admits. "I came with Mama to pick you up becaus

e I wanted to meet Belle."

"Really?" I question. "What made you change your mind?"

"You," Elsa answers, putting her arm around me. "I thought about our little talk yesterday, and realized you were right. I do have to try, otherwise, a friend may never come. To think, what happened with Belle never may have happened if I hadn't come." She sighs before continuing, "I suppose I was just scared because...because, I have been turned away a lot. I waited in that orphanage for five years before anyone adopted me. I was rejected by loads of hopeful parents. I-I suppose I just didn't want to face that pain again."

I look at Elsa in shock. This is the most of Elsa's past that she's ever revealed to me. I give her a watery smile and pull her into a hug. A bit shocked at my abrubtness, Elsa takes a moment to hug back. But, as soon as she does, she hugs me as tightly as I'm hugging her.

"Oh, Elsa," I whisper. "As long as I'm with you, I'll never let you go through pain like that again."

Elsa whispers back, "Thank you."

As we pull apart, Mama comes running in. "Girls! Are you okay? I've been waiting for you!"

"Sorry, Mama," I respond. "We're fine."

Elsa glances at me before saying to Mama, "We're perfectly fine."

* * *

**Author's Note: Well, that took longer than expected. But, at least it didn't take as long as the last chapter! But, it's my longest chapter so far, so...yay!**

**Anyway, I had this Belle and Elsa friendship planned out since the beginning. I've always imagined that they'd get along well.**

**Off-Topic: I saw Frozen Fever and LOVED it! I loved the bit of Life's Too Short in the intro. I'm currently working on a one-shot that takes place the day after Frozen Fever, so if you're interested, it'll probably be up in a few weeks at the most.**

**Well, um, thanks for reading! **


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